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HomeMy WebLinkAboutZ-8834-A Staff AnalysisOCTOBER 30, 2017 ITEM NO.: 2 File No.: Z-8834-A Owner: Taylor King Enterprises, LLC Applicant: Thomas Pownall Address: Northeast corner of S. Izard Street and W. 3rd Street Description: Lots 4, 5 and 6, Block 141, Original City of Little Rock Zoned: UU Variance Requested: Variances are requested from the development provisions of Section 36-342.1 to allow construction of an office building and parking lot. Justification: The applicant's justification is presented in an attached letter. Present Use of Property: Parking Lot Proposed Use of Property: Office STAFF REPORT A. Public Works Issues: 1. At time of building permit, repair or replace any curb and gutter or sidewalk that is damaged in the public right-of-way prior to occupancy. 2. At time of building permit, a 20 foot radial dedication of right-of-way is required at the intersection of 3rd and Izard St. 3. Additional comments may be made at the time of building permit when additional plans are provided. B. Landscape and Buffer Issues: 1. Site plan must comply with the Little Rock Zoning Ordinance, Sec. 36-342.1 UU Urban Use District and the City's minimal landscape and buffer ordinance requirements. 2. In accordance with the UU zoning district street trees a minimum of three- inch caliper will be required. The trees shall be located a minimum of two (2) feet off the back of a curb, placed thirty (30) feet on center and no closer than thirty (30) feet to a street intersection. A water source shall also be provided. The tree canopy shall be maintained at least eight (8) feet above the sidewalk. A franchise agreement must be obtained from Little Rock Public Works to place landscape materials in the public right-of-way. OCTOBER 30, 2017 ITEM NO.: 2 (CON'T.) Z-8834-A 3. Signage is to be reviewed and permitted separately. 4. A perimeter planting strip is required along any side of a vehicular use area that abuts adjoin property or the right-of-way of any street. This strip shall be at least nine (9) feet wide. The property is located in the City's designated mature area. A twenty-five (25%) percent reduction of the buffer requirements is acceptable. The minimum dimension of the perimeter planting strip shall be six (6) feet nine (9) inches. One (1) tree and three (3) shrubs or vines shall be planted for every thirty (30) linear feet of perimeter planting strip. 5. Screening requirements will need to be met for the vehicular use areas adjacent to street right-of-ways. Provide screening shrubs with an average linear spacing of not less at three (3) feet within the required landscape area. Provide trees with an average linear spacing of not less than thirty (30) feet. 6. For parking areas with twelve or more spaces eight percent (8%) of the vehicular use area must be designated for green space; this green space needs to be evenly distributed throughout the parking area(s). The minimum size of an interior landscape area shall be one hundred fifty (150) square feet for developments with one hundred fifty (150) or fewer parking spaces. 7. Building landscape areas shall be provided between the vehicular use area used for public parking and the general vicinity of the building. These shall be provided at the rate equivalent to planter strip three (3) feet wide along the vehicular use area. One (1) tree and four (4) shrubs shall be planted in the building landscape areas for each forty (40) linear feet of vehicular use area abutting the building. 8. An irrigation system shall be required for developments of one (1) acre or larger. For developments of less than one (1) acre there shall be a water source within seventy-five (75) feet of all plant material if an automatic irrigation system is not provided. 9. All landscape areas shall be protected as per City of Little Rock Landscape Ordinance (Sec. 15-100). Provide notes on plan specifying type and location of mulch, edging, wheel stops and/or concrete curb and gutter. 10.All ground or roof mounted mechanical systems shall be screened from abutting properties and streets. Any trash receptacles or pickup shall be oriented away from a primary street side of the property and screened from the public right-of-way. Screen shall exceed the height of the dumpster or trash containment areas by at least two (2) feet not to exceed eight (8) feet total height. 2 OCTOBER 30, 2017 ITEM NO.: 2 (CON'T. Z-8834-A 11. The City Beautiful Commission recommends preserving as many existing trees as feasible on this site. Credit toward fulfilling Landscape Ordinance requirements can be given when preserving trees of six (6) inch caliper or larger. C. Staff Analysis: The UU zoned property at the northeast corner of S. Izard and W. 3rd Streets is currently occupied by a paved parking lot. The property is approximately 0.48 acre in size and is comprised of three (3) platted lots. Lots 4-6, Block 141 original City of Little Rock. An access drive from S. Izard Street serves the property. The applicant proposes to construct a new office building on the site, as noted on the attached site plan. The proposed building will be located within the south one- third of the property, with a paved parking lot on the building's north side. A new access driveway from S. Izard Street will serve the new parking lot. The proposed building will be approximately 3,900 square feet in area and one (1) story in height. The applicant is requesting three (3) variances from the UU zoning district design standards with the proposed new office development. The first variance requested is from Section 36-342.1(c)(8) of the City's Zoning Ordinance. This section requires that the ground -level (street fronting) floors of non- residential structures have a minimum surface area of sixty (60) percent transparent or window display. The proposed building will have approximately 22 percent glass/windows on the south (W. 3rd Street) fagade and 10 percent glass/windows on the west (S. Izard Street) fagade. The second variance is from Section 36-342.1(c )(5)b. which requires street trees to be planted within the UU zoning district. This section requires that street trees be planted a minimum of two (2) feet off the back of curb and shall be 30 feet on center and no closer than 30 feet to a street intersection, with a water source provided. The applicant will plant the required street trees along the S. Izard Street frontage, but is requesting a variance to not plant the street trees in the W. 3rd Street right-of-way. The applicant notes that there is only two (2) feet of grass area between the W. 3rd Street curb and the existing sidewalk, and that the sidewalk is relatively narrow. The applicant also notes that the required street trees will be planted on the north side of the sidewalk along the W. 3rd Street frontage. The third variance is from Section 36-342.1(c)(11) which requires that ground - mounted signs in the UU district be reviewed and approved by the Board of Adjustment. The applicant proposes to place a monument -type sign near the southwest corner of the property, also noted on the attached site plan. The monument -type sign will have a maximum height of six (6) feet and a maximum area of 64 square feet. Staff is supportive of the requested variances from the UU zoning district design standards. Staff views the request as reasonable. The applicant has done a very good job in designing the site development plan to be in compliance with the 3 OCTOBER 30, 2017 ITEM NO.: 2 CON'T. Z-8834-A requirements and intent of the UU zoning district. The variances requested from the design standards are very minor in nature. The applicant is requesting less than the required window display along the south and west facades based on the fact that this will be an office building and not a retail use. The applicant will also plant the required street trees within the property as there is physically not sufficient area to plant the trees within the W. 3rd Street right-of-way. Additionally, with respect to the proposed ground sign, the property is located within a vehicular oriented area of downtown where ground signs are prevalent. The proposed ground sign will be in compliance with signage allowed in office zoning. Staff believes that the proposed development will be a quality in -fill project within the UU zoning district, and that it will have no adverse impact on the adjacent properties or the general area. D. Staff Recommendation: Staff recommends approval of the requested variances from the UU zoning district design requirements, subject to the following conditions: 1. Compliance with the Public works requirements as noted in paragraph A. of the staff report. 2. Compliance with the Landscape and Buffer requirements as noted in paragraph B. of the staff report. The location of the ground -mounted sign must be approved by Public Works Traffic Engineering prior to its installation. BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT The applicant was present. There were no objectors present and a recommendation of approval as outlined in the "staff There was no further discussion. The item was placed on approved as recommended by a vote of 4 ayes, 0 noes and 1 (October 30, 2017) Staff presented the item recommendation" above. the Consent Agenda and absent. 2